Court told how ex-works minister, others ‘defrauded’ government

A Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday heard how former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Muhammed Lawal and nine others allegedly misappropriated about N6.4 billion equity contribution by the Federal Government, Nasarawa and Kogi state governments for the construction of the Guto Bagana Bridge.

The revelation came after they pleaded guilty to the amended 44-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The accused allegedly perpetrated the fraud through a bridge contract, which was to link Nasarawa with Kogi.

The term of the contract awarded on Public Private Partnership was, Built Operate and Transfer between the Federal Government and the two state governments on one hand and the concessionaire, Swede Control Intertek Limited.

Testifying against the accused, a prosecution witness, Mr. Chike Nwibe, a member of the team that investigated the scam, said investigation showed that the Federal Government and the two state governments paid their equity contribution of N6.4 billion, while the private partner did not.

Led in evidence-in-chief by the EFCC counsel, Wahab Shittu, the witness, who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police revealed that “some of the documents available to the investigation team show that the N6.4 billion and other contributions in connection to the contract are to be paid into a joint account to be managed by signatories of the two parties.

“However, that did not happen as monies were most times released directly to another company, which later transformed into being the concessionaire. The name of the company is Digital Tolls Company Limited (DTCL), which belongs to the third accused person, Dr. AdeogbaGodwin Ademola,” the witness added.